Reborn Daughter: The Young Lady Wants to Make a Trouble

Yu Zhen didn't think there was a woman with a bigger appetite than him, until he met Li Xueyue. He had already eaten all kinds of snacks, from candied haws to rice cakes, but she was still looking for other snacks.

When his back was facing her, she walked up to him holding two big buns, her face beaming with joy.

Yu Zhen should have been shocked, but he just laughed at her childish behavior. He didn't think she would be so excited about a simple visit to the shop stall. He didn't realize how bored she was in the room.

She was excited about exploring the city further and spending a day outdoors, even in loud and crowded areas.

"What's the stuffing?" he found himself asking, even though he didn't care about the answer. He just wanted to hear her rambling.

"One is made with red bean paste, and the other is a new flavor made with green beans, but I wasn't paying attention, so I don't know which is which."

Li Xueyue looked from her left hand to her right hand. "Do you want one?" she asked.

He shook his head and replied, "I'm full."

"Oh, what a shame." She shrugged, but her expression didn't match her words.

"Where do you get such a big appetite?" Yu Zhen chuckled, her eyes widened as she watched her happily biting the left bun.

“It’s mung bean paste!”

"Really?" He brushed a crumb from her lips and shook his head at her excitement about food. What was so interesting about food? The only thing he found interesting was watching her eat. He enjoyed watching her lack of awareness of her surroundings.

At this point, she had removed her veil, just to enjoy the snacks, but his men formed a protective barrier around them. No one could see her petite figure, but they could see Yu Zhen, who was taller than most of the guards.

"Yes, that means this is red bean paste!" She nodded to her right hand.

Yu Zhen smiled and reached for a wet handkerchief, which a servant handed to him easily. He wiped her left hand with a faint smile on his face.

"Does food make you that happy?"

"Yes, of course. Does that upset you?" she asked, staring at his large hand. She noticed how amusingly his hand could easily swallow her entire hand.

"Not really." Yu Zhen's smile softened a little.

He never found food enjoyable. Whenever he ate, he was always alone. It had been like this since birth. He grew up without love, and therefore, he rarely found things he liked. He lived a life of luxury, but hated it all.

From quiet servants to amoral ethics classes, his life was anything but fun. His "moral" lessons always consisted of thinking about yourself before others. As a prince, his duty was to worry about his country, not his people. In a way, it was brainwashing, and he didn't fall for it.

"Oh." Li Xueyue frowned: "Why not?"

“It’s hard for me to enjoy my meal alone.”

Li Xueyue nodded slowly. "Even though you're surrounded by servants, you still feel lonely, right?"

Yu Zhen was taken back by her words. Did she feel the same way?

"It's understandable. Feeling lonely in a crowd - there's nothing wrong with that, as long as we get used to the silence."

Yu Zhen raised his eyebrows. "I thought you were always surrounded by lively brothers and sisters. I didn't expect you to feel this way."

"Well, they weren't always—" She paused, her eyes widening. She had almost spoken the truth about her past.

“They’re not always what?”

Li Xueyue stuffed the red bean bun into her mouth and looked away. There was a pause between the two of them, and she finally said, "It's okay."

"Is there anything I should know?"

Li Xueyue hesitated to tell him the truth - she was not from the Li tribe. But if she told him, it would cause too many problems. Who was to say he wouldn't tell this secret to others? Would he look down on her if he found out her bloodline wasn't as perfect as it seemed?

Li Xueyue wanted to tell him this secret without any strings attached, but she couldn't. She didn't want people to know that this so-called "daughter" of the Duchess was just a random woman they found in the forest, thus tarnishing the reputation of the Li family. What if the news spread and the Emperor learned that she was framed by Bai Tianai?

That simple fact is enough to make the problem snowball.

"Don't worry," she finally replied.

Yu Zhen studied. If he pushed her a little more, he knew he was close to crossing the line. His curiosity was eager to know more about her.

"How about a secret for a secret?" he suggested suddenly, thinking it would be best to force her to share.

"How do I know I can trust you?" She pursed her lips, skeptical of the exchange.

"Like I can trust you."

She tilted her head and took in her surroundings. "Are you sure you want to have this exchange in public?"

"Why do you ask?" A smirk appeared on his lips.

"Yeah, there are a lot of people around."

His smile widened. She had fallen right into his trap. "If you want to be alone with me, all you have to do is ask."

Li Xueyue almost fell into his trap. She almost refuted it with a simple "it seems", but it was too boring.

"Okay then, let's go."

Yu Zhen was stunned by her answer. He cleared his throat awkwardly, and a blush appeared on the back of his neck.

"H-what suggestions do you have?"

He mentally cursed himself for stuttering. So much for looking alluring and coy. He wanted to see her in a state of disarray and embarrassment, but right now, he was the only one feeling that emotion.

“Somewhere where people can’t hear … or see what we’re doing.”

His eyes widened. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance between them, and the corners of his lips curled up. If she wanted to play this cat and mouse game, he would be happy to agree.

He leaned down until his lips brushed her ear. She shivered at the provocative caress, her stomach turning as his warm breath fanned her stomach.

"Okay then." He agreed in a husky voice. "I suggest my bedroom." Slowly and sensually, his hands snaked from her shoulders to her lower back, coming dangerously close to her back.

“We have all the privacy we need there.”

Li Xueyue was startled by his sudden collision and her eyes widened in surprise. She just wanted to tease him, but she didn't expect him to take the bait so quickly. She took him to where she wanted.

Two people can play this game.

Her voice softened, seductively calm. "So what are we waiting for?"

Yu Zhen chuckled, his chest rumbling under her fingertips. She really did like playing with fire.